Results 1,801-1,820 of 16,601 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 905, 906 and 907 together. My Department reports all relevant procurement of goods and services to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG) as part of the preparation of its annual accounts, including goods or services procured using the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) frameworks. An annual contracts register of all procurement over...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Water Safety (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 908, 909, 910 and 911 together. The recent tragedies have highlighted the importance of public awareness of water safety, and I extend my condolences to the families and friends of those that have lost their lives in the water recently. Water Safety Ireland (WSI), which comes under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory, voluntary body...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regional Development (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department operates a large number of current and capital schemes aimed at supporting both rural development and community development throughout the country. Since 2023, County Roscommon has been allocated approximately €23 million in funding through these various schemes. The main capital investment funding delivered by my Department is through the rural development programme....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regional Development (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects. Of this more than €7.4 million has been allocated to 67 projects in County Roscommon. In April 2024, funding of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I completely hear the Deputy. Many of the projects we have involve older buildings that people are seeking to repurpose. The process is designed to protect those buildings but also to protect the investment and to ensure that the investment we make at this stage will unlock potential future investment. There is no point in us opening up an expectation in respect of investment that we may...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can assure the Deputy that what we have done is prioritise services into Oileán Thoraí to make sure that they are being delivered, that there is the traditional ferry service and that there is a fast ferry service. They are new services and they are providing a strong service. I have been told there is an issue with Magheraroarty Pier. Donegal County Council was awarded...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I certainly look forward to the visit but want to be straight with the Deputy that as of now, the intention is to examine those existing services. I will sit down with the Deputy, Deputy Gallagher and the comharchumann to look at it because I want to get a full understanding of it and see for myself how the service works. I will not just go to Magheraroarty; I will go on to the oileán...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy O'Hara for his question on this project. As he will be aware, the RRDF is a major capital investment programme seeking to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. To date, the RRDF has allocated €588 million for 243 projects across the country. A fourth call for category 2 applications was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I have heard the Deputy's case and I note the project from his question. We have to ensure these projects are done properly. The documents have only been with us since 14 March and there will be engagement on the viability of the project. The core aspect about this specific measure is that it opens up potential funding again. There will be engagement with Galway County Council, which is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I would point out that, as the Deputy is aware, there is substantial current investment by my Department in Ballyhaunis through RRDF projects, the regeneration of a number of properties and the town centre management. I am very aware of the issues raised by the Deputy and I do not want any diminution of services in any part of the county. There is substantial investment under way in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: It is great to see such cross-party co-operation across the two different constituencies. Launched in 2022, the town centre first policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out the scaffolding and framework to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regeneration Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank both Deputies. As they acknowledged, there is a town centre first officer in Kildare. The town centre first town plan under phase 1, which was announced in December 2021 for Kildare, includes Clane, and phase 2 includes Castledermot. Through the town centre first town team support funds, we are funding teams in Monasterevin, Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace to do their work locally....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Tá mé chun freagra a thabhairt as Béarla, tá brón orm. My Department makes a significant annual investment in subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable year-round ferry and heavy cargo services. In the case of Oileáin Thoraí, there are four separate subsidised...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Absolutely. We will work with all the Departments on this. There is no point in us making this level of investment in rural communities unless we can encourage younger people to come back. I share the Deputy's frustration and agree with what he said about educating younger people. We must ensure they have the opportunities to bring them back. I point to the level of investment in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy says, agriculture is still the core of rural Ireland, not just economically but socially as well in terms of the leadership, skills and supply chain that are provided. I will engage with the farming organisations as we carry out the consultation process on Our Rural Future. We will be looking for their input and support. There have been various iterations of support from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, CLÁR is a very important funding stream for remote rural areas. In recent years it has funded a vast array of community amenities such as community centres, sporting facilities, playgrounds, sensory gardens and walking trails. As we already discussed, it is also a growing source of funding for vehicles to transport people with disabilities and to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I agree with the Deputy about that kind of funding. We will be looking at that from 2026 onwards. We have already funded sensory parks under CLÁR and we will continue to do that. We have also funded the upgrading and replacement of many facilities across the country, including in Mayo, to make equipment more suitable for children with disabilities and communities with disabilities....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Planning issues are a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I agree that there should be a community element to all planning decisions. As regards Blarney, we allocated €204,000 in 2021 for the development of the Inch Park amenity. In 2023, €324,000 was allocated. This includes upgrades for the community centre. There was also €125,000...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: In the overall context of any development such as the housing referred to by the Deputy, first it is a matter for the local authority to put the plans in place. It draws down development levies for all of that construction. It should put the plan in place to have that facility developed. My Department will then be more than happy to work with it to identify potential funding opportunities....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development. It seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families in. One of the high-level outcomes set out in Our Rural Future is to increase the number of people living in rural areas. Rural population trends, as we discussed earlier, in line with many of the...